p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

I've found January to be a good time to buy a lot of things. Post-holiday sales is when stores typically get rid of stuff they weren't able to sell in December. At least that seems to be the case with the big box stores. I shop for suits at Marshalls/TJ Maxx year round but seem to get better prices from them in the summer months.

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

I rarely pay retail at department stores. I've found like new suits / sports jacket and brand new golf shoes at thrift stores, usually for under $20. Also shop Marshalls / TJMaxx / Nordstrom Rack and find great clothes/shoe bargains there. Best bargains are in the clearance racks at those outlets. Say hello to my wife when you visit Nordstrom Rack; odds are good you'll see her there

Have also had suits custom made in Asia. You can pick something you like in a magazine then come back a few hours later for a "rough" fitting with cut pattern just tacked together. The tailor makes adjustments for things like one leg /arm longer than the other, break of cuffs, etc. The next day you pick up the finished suit or in some cases it's delivered to your hotel. The caveat is they can tailor them too well to your current body shape not leaving fabric to let out the pants if you gain a few pounds.

Off the rack suits have pants which are usually too large for most people and need to be taken in. The advantage in that is they can also be let out later But if you have a narrow waist take care that the back pockets don't wind up too close together when fitted. The better but more difficult why to adjust is to take in the back and side seams in proportion with the body shape to keep the pockets over the buns.

The take-away is that skilled fitting / tailoring is the most critical part whether it's custom or altered off the rack. Older sales people at Dept. stores and places like Jos. A Banks are usually very good at it and have a good tailor in the back room. Dry cleaning shops run by 1st gen. immigrant dry cleaners often were tailors or worked in clothing manf. in the home country and can do magic on off-the-rack thrift /outlet purchases.

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

I have good luck at Marshalls / TJ Maxx for mens suits. In my area they have a mix of designer names. I know Jospeh A Banks does a lot of special discounts during the year. Usually buy one and get one or two free which means a fake retail price to start with much of the time.

For a amazing deal on dress shirts look at Costco. They have Kirkland brand for $17.99 that are great. Stay pressed all day so I no longer have to bring a second shirt to look fresh for late shoots/events. Easy to press at home and get the same or better look that a cleaners would give. They even have odd sizes such as my 35" long sleeves. I hate all those 34"-35" mixed length found with many brands. Just don't fit right. Only color I have never seen is solid black which is odd.

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

Is this the norm- a $200 to $300 suit is marked up to $800, $900, then put "on sale" once every month? Or is this just the best time of year to buy a suit?

It's all a game with the Joseph A. Banks types. Monthly, or holiday/special sales are gimmicks, same as Raymour & Flannigan perpetual furniture sales-for-no-reason sales. Figure that the marked up $900 suit marked down to $200 is worth about $100. You can do better anywhere, especially in the quality department. ..... "and your going to like the way you look.... guaranteed."

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

Good insight, thanks.

cgardner wrote:
Have also had suits custom made in Asia. You can pick something you like in a magazine then come back a few hours later for a "rough" fitting with cut pattern just tacked together. The tailor makes adjustments for things like one leg /arm longer than the other, break of cuffs, etc. The next day you pick up the finished suit or in some cases it's delivered to your hotel. The caveat is they can tailor them too well to your current body shape not leaving fabric to let out the pants if you gain a few pounds.

Off the rack suits have pants which are usually too large for most people and need to be taken in. The advantage in that is they can also be let out later But if you have a narrow waist take care that the back pockets don't wind up too close together when fitted. The better but more difficult why to adjust is to take in the back and side seams in proportion with the body shape to keep the pockets over the buns.

The take-away is that skilled fitting / tailoring is the most critical part whether it's custom or altered off the rack. Older sales people at Dept. stores and places like Jos. A Banks are usually very good at it and have a good tailor in the back room. Dry cleaning shops run by 1st gen. immigrant dry cleaners often were tailors or worked in clothing manf. in the home country and can do magic on off-the-rack thrift /outlet purchases.

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

jefferies1 wrote:
I know Joseph A Banks does a lot of special discounts during the year. Usually buy one and get one or two free which means a fake retail price to start with much of the time.

This ^

And regarding Chuck's point about well tailored suits - whether custom or off the rack - one "tell" of a poorly fitted suit is how the fabric lays just below the back of the collar. It should follow your back/spine perfectly. Ill-fitted suit jackets and sports coats often show a bulge or horizontal ripple in the fabric that many men shopping by themselves don’t notice, or don’t realize what a no-no that is.

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · OT- Suits, when is the best time of year to buy them?

Jo Dilbeck wrote:
I'm sorry, but what the hell does this have to do with photography, and why is it on the FM forum?

Jo

Hi Jo,

Respectfully and IMHO it has just as much to do with photography as business discussions, pricing debates, studio and office design, website design, branding in general and what cars photographers prefer.

I smiled at a recent thread about apparel at weddings when Todd R said “suits, all the time, every time” (or something to that effect).